"What do you think?
Will limiting soft-money and the other provisions of this bill help
reduce the influence of special interest groups and make for 'better'
elections?"CLICK
HERE to Discuss This Bill

"There's
no way campaign finance is going to get through the Senate. American
politicians are junkies for cash. It's not a Democrat thing. It's not a
Republican thing. It's an incumbent thing."CELIA_BRADY
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The US Senate on Monday,
March 19, 2001, opened what promises to be at least two weeks of debate on S.
27 - the Campaign Finance Reform Bill cosponsored by the bipartisan duo of
Republican Sen. John McCain and
Democratic Sen. Russell Feingold.
Senator McCain has stated that he expects the bill to bring heated debate, along
with introduction of several proposed amendments. The McCain-Feingold bill has
failed to pass in five previous presentations before the Senate.

Here is an explanation of what the McCain-Feingold bill would do, who supports and
opposes it, and what President Bush has indicated he will support in a campaign
finance reform bill.

What the McCain-Feingold Bill Would Do

Soft-Money
- Title I:The bill as introduced would ban some and place
strict limitations on other donations of "soft-money." Soft-money is
money donated to political parties rather than to specific candidates. Most
soft-money donations come from wealthy individuals, corporations and organized
labor unions. In the last election, soft-money donations to political parties
amounted to more than $500 million.

Specifically, the bill states: "A national committee of a political party (including a
national congressional campaign committee of a political party) may not solicit,
receive, or direct to another person a contribution, donation, or transfer of
funds or any other thing of value, or spend any funds, that are not subject to
the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements of this Act."

Supporters consider soft-money control to be the heart of the bill, arguing
that restricting these contributions will reduce the influence of special
interest groups in the political system.

Campaign
Advertising - Title II: The bill also places limitations
"issues-based" campaign advertisements paid for by independent groups
or organizations. An example would be a campaign TV ad paid for by a private
industry or company, rather than from funds raised by the candidate or political
party.

Miscellaneous
Provisions - Title III: The bill also prohibits campaign fundraising on
property belonging to the federal government and strengthens existing laws
against campaign contributions by foreign nationals.

Specifically, the bill states: "It shall be unlawful for -- (1) a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to
make --

(A) a donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or
implied promise to make a donation, in connection with a Federal, State, or
local election; or -- (B) a contribution or donation to a committee of a political party; or
-- (2) for a person to solicit, accept, or receive such contribution or
donation from a foreign national."

Support and opposition on
the McCain-Feingold bill comes from both Republican and Democratic Senators. An
alternate bill, sponsored by another Republican Senator also has bi-partisan
support, including that of President Bush.